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còmhlan bheanntan | a company of mountains | Alec Finlay

Alec Finlay’s còmhlan bheanntan | a company of mountains was an ATLAS Arts commission that saw the artist produce a variety of poems, photos, essays and ‘word-mntn’ drawings which took inspiration from Sorley Maclean’s poem Ceann Loch Aeoineart. This collaborative project saw Alec work with a number of other artists to select fourteen sites, or conspectuses, in the Isle of Skye from which to explore the mountains, history, culture and mythology of the island.

Building on Alec’s the road north journey project with poet Ken Cockburn in 2011, this commission was equally as ritualistic and centered around the passages and routes taken across the island. Looking to educate and familiarise himself with the Isle of Skye, Alec used The Cuillin to navigate the topography of a location he had visited many times but simply passed through on his way to the Outer Hebrides.

Commenting on the views and journeys explored in this project, Alec noted:

‘The views of Skye draw on many specialisms, refining the essentially simple act – or art – of viewing. Most of all, I wanted to learn to see the wilderness better myself. Returning the name-poems to their mountains set Emma and I the task of exploring Skye. She was patient with the slowness of my walking. We gently stirred the waters of what it means to belong in a place like this. The journey had a frisson for Emma, as she had only recently come ‘home’ to the island of her forebears. As we drove past Sconser she pointed out the boggy slope on the far shore where the family croft had been. Back home in Portree she looked out a letter from her relative, Sorley Maclean, who had first encouraged her interest in the culture of the island.’

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Some photos from the various locations explored and detailed by Alec Finlay’s ‘mntn drawings’. To see more images from this project, please see click here.

còmhlan bheanntan | a company of mountains publication

Fourteen conspectuses in the Isle of Skye for viewing hills and mountains by Alec Finlay commissioned by ATLAS Arts.

P A N O R A M A // Event to launch còmhlan bheanntan | a company of mountains publication

To celebrate the launch of Alec Finlay’s publication còmhlan bheanntan | a company of mountains in May 2013, a programme of talks, tours and music was produced called: P A N O R A M A. The weekend launch programme highlighted the collaborative nature of Finlay’s working process when making journeys with his poems.

Throughout the weekend Finlay was joined by artists, mountain experts, musicians and poets for a series of events exploring the collective fascination with mountains and illuminating his project. The programme included a poetry reading, guided mountain walks, a musical tribute to mountaineer and broadcaster Tom Weir, and a performance lecture on volcanoes and more – with contributions from Hanna Tuulikki, Meg Bateman, Ilana Halperin, Andrew Patrizio and musician, Wounded Knee amongst others.